


Tres Caballeros

by misura



Category: Tour of the Merrimack - R. M. Meluch
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-17
Updated: 2011-12-17
Packaged: 2017-10-27 22:20:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/300659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On friendship, dating rituals and political lies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tres Caballeros

**Author's Note:**

  * For [prettymanly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/prettymanly/gifts).



Terra Rica did not have much of a navy worth the name - its purpose being defense, rather than offense, but in quick succession, three things happened to change its status somewhat.

Firstly, one of Terra Rica's more effluent citizens put up the funds for the purchase of a brand new ship, which received the name _Mercedes II_ at his request, and was to be used for missions well out of Terra Rica's sphere of influence.

Secondly, the U.S. appointed Captain John Farragut 'navy ambassador' to Terra Rica. What, precisely, this position entailed was anyone's guess; nobody who had met Farragut could believe the man would make a politician, let alone a diplomat. Still, Farragut took transport to Terra Rica and there reported to the powers that be. Who directed him towards _Don_ Jose Maria de Cordillera.

Thirdly, Numa Caesar, being of a generous spirit, granted a pardon to the rogue patterner Augustus for any and all crimes he might have committed against Rome at any point in between Magnus Caesar's unfortunate death and Numa's own succession to the throne. Since the pardon was posthumous, the gesture was mostly hot air, but Rome would be Rome. Propriety and honor were to be observed at all times, even when the recipients of such fine sentiments were no longer among the living.

 

"Still a nice gesture," said Farragut, when he heard of the news.

Augustus looked unimpressed. Farragut would have been surprised to find him otherwise. Was determined to keep on trying anyway. "More dead heroes."

"You don't think he suspects, then?" asked Jose Maria. Not an idle question. Terra Rica was neutral, had always been neutral in the conflict between Rome and the U.S.. Farragut's presence had been judged acceptable - likely Numa was just as happy to see Farragut be removed from active duty for the moment, shuffled back to some empty post, a good distance away from Palatine.

Augustus's presence, on the other hand, alive and well, might strain things rather too much.

"Unlikely," Farragut soothed. "How would he know?"

Said Augustus: "Of course he knows. He's not an idiot." Implying Farragut _was_.

 

The _Mercedes II_ was Terra Rica's official contribution to clearing the universe of the Hives that might yet remain throughout the galaxy. It would travel from system to system, check for Hive presence and, if necessary, put an end to that presence.

Its crew was minimal, but then, it was a small ship. Hardly comparable to the _Merrimack_.

Farragut missed his ship, his people. Comforted himself with the thought he wasn't alone in the feeling.

 

"Refreshing, to have only one idiot around," agreed Augustus, when cornered. He'd been used to worse, which was to say: to more people getting in his way.

"Bit boring, surely," ventured Farragut. What he'd seen of Augustus's way of entertaining himself amid a crew hadn't precisely met with Farragut's approval or even understanding, but over time, things had smoothed over a bit, or maybe Augustus had simply grown on people, Farragut included.

Augustus looked him over, face expressionless. Started at Farragut's shoes and went up from there, then back down again. Said: "I expect I'll find something to keep me entertained. For a while, at least."

Farragut had been propositioned before, and more bluntly than this. Came with his rank, combined with his looks. Augustus was far from the first, although generally, the propositions came from strangers, whom Farragut brushed off easily. Farragut had no interest in sex for the sake of sex. He was a romantic, and old-fashioned. Believed in love - if not at first sight, then at least upon closer acquaintance. Reckoned what he felt for Augustus might be close enough to love to pass for it.

Didn't mean he had to say 'yes' right away, of course.

 

When Augustus had left the _Merrimack_ , he had taken with him Jose Maria's guitar. It had been an old, valuable instrument, much like the antique sword Farragut had received by way of a parting gift, however temporal that parting had turned out to be.

Unlike the sword, Augustus's gift had not survived long enough to be reunited with its former owner aboard the _Mercedes II_.

Happily, _Don_ Cordillera had replaced it.

 

"You are playing a dangerous game, young captain." Jose Maria's tone held no judgment, merely observation.

Farragut shrugged. Grinned. "Not that dangerous, surely, Jose Maria."

Jose Maria might not necessarily know Augustus better than Farragut knew him, but unlike Farragut, to a certain degree, Jose Maria possessed Augustus's respect. It meant Augustus might talk to him more freely than he would speak to Farragut.

"To play with a young man's heart is always dangerous."

"Yes." Farragut acknowledged the truth in that statement. "That's why I'm not playing." He did not deny Jose Maria's assessment of Augustus as a young man. In some respects, Augustus _was_ young.

In other respects, he was older than either Farragut or Jose Maria. Closer to death. The topic was not spoken of, by tacit agreement, but nobody on board the _Mercedes II_ was unaware of it.

"Good," said Jose Maria.

"Just making him work for it a bit," said Farragut. "Try and see how nice he can force himself to get."

In some respects, John Farragut, too, was still young. Jose Maria sighed.

 

Unlike most ships of her class and size, the _Mercedes II_ possessed carrier capability. She had one other ship in her hold, ready to be launched, should circumstances require it.

When Farragut had seen that ship, he'd been forced to concede that Numa might, indeed, be not as unaware of Augustus's true state as Farragut had assumed.

Neutral or not, it was very hard indeed to think of a way the Terra Rican navy might have acquired a brand new Striker in Flavian colors without imperial approval.

 

Augustus, it seemed, could not bring himself to be nice, exactly. He hinted he might enjoy tying Farragut to his bed and keeping him there for the night. Suggested Farragut might enjoy the experience as well, although he made it clear this was only a secondary consideration.

Said Farragut: "Where I come from, it's dinner and a movie, and after that, you can try your luck."

 

 _Don_ Cordillera made himself agreeably scarce for the evening, if not after a stern, warning look at both Farragut, who seemed slightly abashed, and Augustus, who did not.

Traditionally, Farragut informed Augustus, the girl picked the movie and the guy picked dinner, as it was generally expected that he'd be the one to pay for it. Of course, there wasn't exactly going to be a check to settle aboard the _Mercedes II_.

Augustus informed Farragut what he might do with his traditions, which Farragut decided to interpret as a request for him to pick the movie, given that Augustus hadn't had opportunity to go to a movie theater in a very long while.

"It's not as if _I'm_ any kind of movie buff either, you know." The _Mecredes II_ had been supplied by Jose Maria with a modest collection of movies. A good half of them were documentary, and thus discarded by Farragut as unsuitable, the other half consisted of mostly Terra Rican movies.

Jose Maria was, of course, Terra Rican, as was the _Mercedes II_. "How's your Spanish?" Farragut asked.

"Considerably better than yours," replied Augustus, in that language.

Terra Rican cinema it was, then.

 

In any U.S. produced movie, there was the risk of some slur on Rome and/or Romans. Terra Rica, happily, had been neutral for a very long time, and thus it seemed unlikely any movie Farragut picked would offend either Augustus's Roman sensitivities, or Farragut's American ones.

Romantic comedy was, in some ways, universal.

"These people are idiots," Augustus declared, perhaps twenty minutes into the movie.

Farrgut couldn't say he disagreed, exactly. "I think it's supposed to be humorous."

Augustus sneered, making it clear to what degree he was amused by people being idiots.

Farragut decided the better part of wisdom might be to skip a few scenes. The plot had seemed somewhat unlikely to him, yes, but with the right companion, he felt sure he might have enjoyed watching the story unfold. Augustus, Farragut felt equally sure, was not that companion.

"A happy ending," he commented, as the newly married couple kissed. No chance of _that_ ever happening with Augustus; even if U.S. law might permit it, Roman law didn't, and Farragut had no doubt which would weigh heaviest with Augustus.

"Hardly deserved," Augustus said.

Farragut shrugged. "They made up their mind and they got things together. Sounds deserving enough to me."

"You're a very simple man."

Farragut didn't think that was a bad thing to be. "A lot of things are. Only a few aren't." Augustus wasn't simple. Figuring out a way to get Augustus - not just what he _wanted_ , but what he _deserved_ wasn't simple. Farragut knew he owed Augustus for a number of things, but he also knew that he couldn't take anything Augustus said or did at face value.

"And how do you handle those few things, John Farragut?" Augustus asked.

Farragut reckoned that this was Augustus asking him if Farragut was going to invite him inside for a cup of coffee.

"By asking other people," he said, rising. "I'm headed back to my quarters. You coming?"

"I don't seem to be breathing hard, so I suppose I am," Augustus said.


End file.
